The Lonely Boy
by TheCookieMonster77
Summary: An AU in which Ryos joins Phantom Lord and Gajeel takes him under his wing. Rating for Gajeel's potty mouth.
1. The Beginning

Title: The Lonely Boy

Summary: An AU in which Ryos joined Phantom Lord and Gajeel took him under his wing.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.**

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><p>Chapter Title: The Beginning<p>

Chapter Summary: In which Gajeel gains a side-kick.

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><p>AN: Figure this is a year or two after the dragons disappear so RyosRogue's still a little kid and it's before he idolized Phantom Lord or Gajeel. And, I remember Rogue being called Ryos when he was a kid but this site doesn't have that name at all. Am I just insane or something?

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><p>"<em>A Dragon Slayer huh? I could use another one of those. A bit young though, aren't you?"<em>

"_Please, I need work! I'm strong!"_

"_Why try here? It's Phantom Lord, the strongest! Why would I take in a bag of skin and bones like you?"_

"_Sir, I'm starving! I have no where else to go."_

"_I don't take in beggars. Just run home to daddy, eh?"_

"_I-I can't sir. He's dead. I k-killed him."_

"_Oh? __**You**_ _killed a __**dragon**__? Well, you're not lying...fine, trial basis. Don't disappoint me."_

"_I won't Sir. I promise."_

"_Tch. It's Master Porla to you."_

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><p>Ryos hated Phantom Lord.<p>

Sure, it provided an income so he was living in a rat's hole of a shack, rather than out on the street. He even had enough money so he wasn't eating off the scraps the guild provided, unlike several other mediocre mages in the blasted guild. Now, if he had anywhere else to go, he'd be out of the stupid guild like a shot. But Skiadrum was dead and Ryos was lost. The only thing that prevented him from starving was Phantom Lord, so here he stayed.

And there was the added bonus that Phantom Lord positively _choked_ on all the shadows invading its halls and rooms, thriving in the dark shadows despite the numerous lanterns dotting its halls.

For Ryos, the shadows were where he came _alive_.

So one would think he would love Phantom Lord. It provided him everything he needed to live happily. But, Ryos liked silence. He didn't even mind the loud chatter that could be easily tuned out. But _whispers_?

Whispers promised secrets. Whispers were the irritating itch that niggled your mind until you scratched on it so much you bled. Whispers were a blaring sign of _exile_.

He twitched in irritation, nearly hissing as fire raced through his shoulder. His last mission wasn't as easy as he had hoped it would be but, it was still manageable. Those bandits didn't use magic and with his Dragon Slayer magic and a couple of tricks and traps, he managed to round them up and get away without too much trouble.

The leader still packed a nasty right hook.

The pain did have one benefit though. It distracted him from the whispering. But, once his shoulder settled back into a relaxed position, the whispering slammed back into attention. The worst part of it was how the morons didn't realize he could hear _every word_ they said.

"Didn't you hear? That's Redfox's brother."

"Shit, really? No wonder the brat's been able to complete all those missions. I would've killed for that bandit one."

"Psh, kill him and you have to deal with _Gajeel_. Besides, if a six year old could beat up a gang of bandits, you sure you want to piss him off too?"

"The brat's _six_?"

Ryos snorted. Those idiots believed anything, even ridiculous rumors like _that_. Ryos scratched his ear, taking way too much effort to tune out those idiots. He didn't know who this Gajeel Redfox or whoever was, nor did he have much interest in meeting him. All he wanted was some peace and quiet, and enough money to fill his belly and put a roof over his head. Maybe even enough work to distract him from the guilt gnawing at his insides. Didn't seem like much to ask for.

So why did he have to deal with _whispers_? Maybe it was karmic retribution. The guilt started gnawing at his stomach again. Ryos closed his eyes, determined not to show even a hint of grief. Phantom Lord would tear him apart because of it. He may have only been here for a couple of months but, even he knew _that_.

The whispers tickled his ears, pestering him until he listened to them. He was valiantly trying to ignore them but, they were all so dumb and it was all Ryos could do to not outright laugh at them.

There were a lot of rumors about him being some relative or another of this Gajeel Redfox. If the morons just asked for his name, they'd realize he had never met the bloke. Some others were about his age. While he was small, it didn't mean he was only _six_. And besides, even if he was, he'd still be able to complete those missions. It's not like he's done anything more than runs errands or complete the odd bandit capture. And bandits were stupid; with the right ambush and tricks, he could _scare_ them into cooperation.

It's amazing what you can do when you control the shadows.

He slid into a seat at an empty table and didn't bother looking up when the guild doors slammed open. Rather, he slumped into his seat, relieved the whispering had stopped and his ears weren't twitching. He closed his eyes and listened to the heavy footsteps making their way through the guild hall. Funnily enough, they seemed to be coming in his direction. Weird, was something messing with his hearing?

"Oi brat. That's my seat."

Ryos's eyes flew open in surprise and he nearly did a double take at the familiar features of the stranger. The man in front of him was huge and had far too many piercings but, he had the same red slitted eyes and spiky black hair. There was even the familiar scowl in place.

The stranger growled. "Can't you hear dumb shit?"

Ryos gaped, sure he was doing a wonderful impression of a goldfish. He snapped his mouth shut with an audible _click_ and gulped. "Are you Gajeel Redfox?" he asked, an odd rasp in his voice from his suddenly dry throat.

The stranger sneered. "Yup. And if you know my name, you should know not to _piss me off_."

Ryos stumbled out of his seat, flinching at the sheer amount of hostility the bigger man managed to emit. Gajeel laughed and pushed him away. Rogue stumbled on a broken floor tile.

"Wait, the brat's _not_ your brother?"

Ryos looked at a random guildmate in surprise, his expression probably mirroring the other man's dumb struck look.

"_What_?"

Ryos snapped his head back to Gajeel. How the man managed to convey that much irritation in one sentence was rather remarkable.

He flinched when those far too familiar eyes bore holes into his head. Gajeel stood, his towering height looming over Ryos in the worst way possible. Ryos gulped at Gajeel's snarl.

"You little shit using my good name as your own, huh?"

Ryos frantically shook his head. "No sir! They never asked so I never said."

Gajeel _hmphed_ and turned to glare at the mages surrounding them.

"The brat's lying! We'd never do anything to piss you off, Gajeel!"

Ryos turned to face whoever had shouted that nonsense but couldn't distinguish where the voice had come from. And crap, was there that many mages surrounding him earlier?

Just as Ryos was about to shout a protest, an iron bar flew over his head and smashed into one of the men. He looked over his shoulder in shock at Gajeel, who was dispassionately watching the iron bar turn back into his hand.

Gajeel flexed his fist and grinned sharply at the crowd. "I can _smell_ lies, you dumb shit." He took one last look at Ryos and smirked. "You lot are stupid. Whoever would think I'd have a weakling like _that_ as a brother." Gajeel broke off into cruel laughter and plopped back down at his table. "This just proves I'm surrounded by morons. Now someone bring me a drink!"

Some people in the crowd scrambled but, Ryos paid them no mind. He was still staring dumbly at Gajeel. No wonder his guildmates thought they were siblings. He would too if he didn't know better.

Actually, he _didn't_ know better.

Ryos blinked. It was possible. He was an orphan found by Skiadrum when he was a baby. Who knew?

Gajeel looked up and his eyes met Ryos's. Maybe the man was thinking the same thing he was? Ryos felt the slightest bubble of hope well up in him at the thought of having a family again. The bubble grew when Gajeel narrowed his eyes in contemplation at Ryos. The corners of his lips twitched.

"What do you want brat? Scram!"

Ryos jumped, the bubble bursting and leaving him slightly off kilter. He was about to ask- no, _demand_ if Gajeel saw the similarities too but those red eyes hardened and Ryos choked on the words. He snapped his mouth shut and turned to flee. He needed something to get his mind of things.

He ran to the mission board (because really, what else was there?) and reached for the first flyer he saw. Just as he grabbed the edge of it, a large hand slammed over it.

Ryos whirled around in surprise. There was a long, wiry man leaning over him, chapped lips spread into a nasty sneer over yellow teeth. The man's eyes were black and beady, his mousy hair hanging over them in greasy strings. The man leaned closer and it was all Ryos could do not to rear back in disgust at the smelly breath.

"Nuh, uh. This mission's mine."

Ryos was about to protest but snapped his mouth shut. All he wanted was a mission, he didn't care what. Better not to piss off anybody. He reached for another only for someone else to grab his wrist. He squirmed and followed the sunburnt arm up to it's owner. The rest of the man was just as red and the man's thick eyebrows were nearly meshed together over oddly yellow hazel eyes. With the sunburn and scowl, he looked like anger incardinated.

Mr. Anger scowled. "You don't get that one."

Ryos frowned and pulled at his arm. His shoulder burned and Ryos hissed in pain. He tugged his wrist harder.

"Looks like the brat don't respect his elders."

Ryos turned to glare at the newcomer. Unlike the other two ruffians, this one was well dressed and sort of decent looking, in an oily, slick way. The man's dark hair gleamed, despite the low lighting and his teeth were so white they _sparkled_. Added to the muddy brown eyes and eyebrows three shades too light, it was almost funny. But then man's sneer made Ryos feel like there were ants running up and down his spine. He shivered.

"I think Jim's right," said Yellow Teeth. Ryos reeled back at the putrid breath. "There's a demand for decent missions kid. Seniority and strength rule and brats like you get the shitty ones." Yellow Teeth laughed and grinned at the other two bullies. "We oughta teach him a lesson."

Ryos squirmed harder.

Mr. Anger clamped down on Ryos's sore shoulder, making his knees buckle with pain. "I was betting on that bandit mission to get this week's food. You little fucker made me go hungry."

The man's stomach even growled on cue.

Jim sneered and pulled out a cigarette. "Well? Let's take this out back."

Ryos twisted and squirmed even harder but, Mr. Anger's grip was tight and it was like fire hot pokers were shooting from his shoulder, mudding his brain and making his limbs feel like lead. Ryos fumbled and flailed helplessly as they dragged him outside, even gaining a couple of stragglers. Just as they reached the door, Ryos twisted one more time, desperate to find someone to help. Ryos's eyes met Gajeel's and he remembered Gajeel standing up for him a minute ago. Ryos pleaded silently as he was yanked through the door.

Gajeel _laughed_.

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><p>Ryos hissed into the dirt. It had been three weeks since meeting Gajeel and Ryos had been getting the occasional beating every now and then. One of which he had experienced about five minutes ago.<p>

He should probably see a doctor about those aching ribs.

Turns out, incompetent mages really hated a kid like him showing them up and figured they should show their displeasure now that he didn't have a 'guardian' in the form of Gajeel. They hated it even more when he fought back - not all out, he was there on a trial basis - and it resulted in them getting bigger gangs. Though how they expected to feel better for needing backup to beat a _kid_ is beyond comprehension. Then again, he never did understand idiots.

Ryos just grunted when a shadow fell over him. He rolled over, biting his tongue when his ribs protested. He glared when he met Gajeel's gleaming eyes.

Gajeel _tsked_. "Don't you know better than to glare at your betters?"

Ryos just grunted. Hopefully, Gajeel was above beating up broken kids like him.

Gajeel sneered as he crouched down over Ryos's head. "You know, if you actually fought without holding back, you wouldn't be lying there now."

Ryos shifted in surprise. "But sir...they're our guildmates."

Gajeel threw back his head and laughed. "Sir...heh, knew I tolerated you for some reason. Those idiots fear me but not one drop of respect. Now for a little shit like you…" Gajeel glanced down and poked Ryos's ribs, getting a hiss of pain from the boy. "Guildmates don't mean shit. It's a dog-eat-dog world out there and don't you forget it."

"But, won't Master Porla punish me if I beat up his mages?"

Gajeel cackled. "The Master don't give two shits about those rats. So long as they're some what competent, he'll take any mage he can get to out number those Fairy idiots."

Ryos frowned and puckered his lips thoughtfully.

Gajeel sneered. "You know, when I first got here, those idiots didn't know they should fear me. They didn't like it when I took a well paying job so they ganged up on me when I got back and beat me up. So, I went out and got me a brand new pair of boots."

Ryos blinked. "...what?"

Gajeel grinned sharply, baring teeth and all. "And you know what I did? I kicked those bastards' asses with my new pair of boots. Never bothered me again."

Ryos blinked again and sighed. "What do you want?"

Gajeel smirked and twisted Ryos's ear, laughing at Ryos's pained yelp. "My last job took me by the town you rounded up some bandits in. I was dragging some fucker to the jail and met some of those shits while I was waiting for the mission pay. You left a lasting impression on those idiots."

Ryos batted Gajeel's hand away. "So?"

Gajeel grinned. "Talent like yours wouldn't be a complete waste to have around. Always wanted a minion of my own."

"Minion?" Ryos wrinkled his nose.

Gajeel's grin stretched further. "Yup. Do keep up the 'Sir' thing, I rather like it." Gajeel stuck out his lower lip suddenly, eyebrows drawing together. "What's your name kid?"

Ryos frowned back. "Ryos."

Gajeel wrinkled his nose. "Ryos? Bleh, don't like that name. I think I'll stick with minion." Gajeel paused and seemed to think about it for a moment before nodding, satisfied. "Yup, minion it is. Much better ring to it." Gajeel stood, his face seemingly enveloped by a shadow from his impressive height, and started walking away.

Just as he fell out of Ryos's peripheral vision, Ryos heard his footsteps stop. The footsteps reversed and Ryos was suddenly yanked to his feet by the back of his shirt. Ryos yelped in a rather girly way and felt himself flush redder than a tomato. He looked up, shielding his eyes from the sun and saw Gajeel nod. Gajeel turned back around, clearly expecting him to follow.

Ryos stared, dumbfounded. "Are we going to the doctor's?"

Gajeel looked over his shoulder, a frown stamped on his face. "Why would we bother with expensive shit like that?"

Ryos rubbed his side and hissed at the tenderness. "Rib injuries aren't good."

Gajeel snorted. "You can breath, can't you?"

Ryos opened his mouth to protest but figured that Gajeel's logic wasn't half bad. Besides, if Gajeel really wanted him as a partner (or minion, whatever) then surely he'd want him in top condition? Gajeel probably had a pretty good idea of what injuries needed medical attention or not. Ryos sighed and figured following Gajeel wouldn't be a bad idea. No one's going to beat up Gajeel's partner, right?

Right.

Ryos jogged to catch up to Gajeel, being sure not to wince at his injuries. Looking up at the studded face and mane of spiky black hair, he could almost picture that this was like having an older brother. And if Ryos stuck around, then maybe it would really happen.

"So, erm, sir," Ryos fumbled and took a deep breath. "If we're not going to a doctor, then what are we doing?"

Gajeel frowned down at Ryos. "Ain't it obvious? We're getting you a new pair of boots."

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><p>AN: The boots thing is a nod off to CalaveraCandiedSkull's fic <em>thrown for a loop<em>, which is absolutely brilliant. I suggest you check it out.


	2. Training Time

Title: The Lonely Boy

Summary: An AU in which Ryos joins Phantom Lord and Gajeel takes him under his wing.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.**

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><p>Chapter Title: Training Time<p>

Chapter Summary: In which Ryos is introduced to hell.

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><p>Someone was in his apartment.<p>

Ryos awoke abruptly, though he hid it with only the barest of twitches. He breathed out slowly, trying to calm himself and making sure to keep up the facade so that he could catch the intruder off guard. He felt the presence move closer - _softly, the intruder must be a mage_ - and he gathered his magic carefully. _Just wait, the guy is almost there_.

The intruder took three more steps towards him, only for Ryos to jump up with a shout and snap his hand out, shooting a blast of shadow magic at the intruder. It took all of five seconds, almost a perfect attack. _Skiadrum would be proud_. Ryos smiled smugly as he waited for the expected shout of pain.

Instead, the intruder squirted him with water.

"Wha-" Ryos flinched at the unexpected response as he came down from his jump. Only, the last minute distraction had forced his attention away from more important things, such as landing properly. His foot caught the edge of his bed and Ryos slipped, causing him to crash to the floor in a tangle of blankets and surprised shouts.

Ryos struggled to untangle himself from the blankets when he registered the intruder _laughing_. Just as the familiar _Gihi_ sound registered - _it can't be_ - Ryos blinked up at Gajeel, who was cackling his head off.

Ryos blinked again, staring at the older man with wide eyes. "What are you _doing _here?"

Gajeel's snickers slowly died down and he sneered at Ryos. He showed Ryos his other hand, which was clutching a dinged up squirt bottle. Ryos blinked, confused and Gajeel took the opportunity to squirt Ryos.

Right in the eye.

Ryos shouted and jumped up, nearly falling again from the wad of sheets bunched up around his legs. He flailed his arms, trying to gain his balance as Gajeel laughed and kept squirting him.

Ryos finally managed to kick away the stupid sheets and glared up at Gajeel. Frustratingly enough, even when sitting down, the older man towered over him. "Why?"

Gajeel rubbed the top of Ryos's head roughly, further tangling the short inky locks, and pushed him down into a sitting position. The new perspective made Gajeel appear even more tall and intimidating, some how making his cast shadow terrifying rather the usual comfort shadows gave Ryos. Ryos gulped and immediately flushed when Gajeel snickered.

_The jerk knows what he's doing!_

Ryos's fuming was cut off from another squirt. "Now, now," Gajeel sneered, "this is for your own good and a favor from me."

Ryos bit off his snarky comment. "Really?" he asked, a heady amount of scepticism coloring his tone.

Gajeel raised an eyebrow. "Yup. Now that you're my minion, I need to make sure you're up to snuff. You should be grateful."

"Thanks," Ryos deadpanned.

Gajeel nodded, smugly. "Glad you see it my way."

Ryos smacked his forehead, only to get squirted again. He wiped away the water and glared at Gajeel. "Why a squirt bottle?"

"Eh?" Gajeel glanced down at the thing and shrugged. "Well, I figured I had to train you so I went and asked a pet store owner for tips. He said pets react better to this," he said, waving the bottle, "rather than hitting. I don't get it but, I figured I'd give it a try first. People don't like kids with bruises."

Ryos stared at Gajeel in shock. "I'm your _pet_," he demanded.

Gajeel frowned at Ryos and squirted him, raising another squawk from the boy. "First rule, no disrespect. And second, you're my minion, not a pet." Gajeel paused, a thoughtful look crossing his features. "Well, maybe they're the same thing."

Ryos could barely suppress an eye twitch. _Who knew the Iron Dragonslayer was such a freak?_

Gajeel squirted Ryos again. "Oi, I can smell the impudence. Stop. It." He squirted Ryos again for good measure.

Ryos sighed, resigning himself to the craziness. "Why are you here?" Gajeel continued to stare at Ryos expectantly and Ryos nearly groaned. "Sir," he added on grudgingly.

"Much better." Gajeel stood up and stepped over Ryos, heading out to the main room of the apartment. Ryos scrambled after him and followed the man to his 'kitchen' (which was really more of a cupboard pantry, a leaky sink, and a beat up campfire stove). Gajeel picked up an apple from the small basket of fruit and tossed it to Ryos. "Eat up. When you're done, we'll start training."

Ryos shrugged, munching into the apple. "What sort of training?" he asked, voice muffled by the apple.

Gajeel cocked his head to the side and shrugged. "Figure endurance and strength, maybe see how you are with hand to hand combat. You need to be able to hold your own in a fight."

Ryos paused mid-bite, lowering the apple to stare at Gajeel. Was the older man saying...he _cared_? That he didn't want Ryos to be hurt?

Gajeel frowned at Ryos and squirted him. "Stop it, I can smell your stupid thoughts. I don't give a damn about your safety or feelings. I just want a capable minion. No use dragging you around otherwise." He squirted Ryos again. "Eat faster."

Ryos nodded and started taking bigger bites of the apple, ignoring the bitter taste of disappointment. When he finished, Gajeel nodded and tossed him a small chunk of bread. Ryos gulped that down and got himself a small glass of water, only to turn around and see Gajeel halfway out the door. Ryos yelped, a bit of water coming out his nose when he choked in surprise. He threw the cup in the sink and ran out, hastily locking the door. Unfortunately, he had forgotten his ratty old shoes but, Gajeel was already halfway down the block. Ryos shifted nervously before fear of the older man's wrath made up his mind. Ryos tore after Gajeel, wincing slightly at the rocks that poked his bare feet.

When Ryos caught up, Gajeel glanced down at him, snickering at his bare feet. Ryos flushed and made sure to hold his head high, trying not to huff at the struggle to keep up with Gajeel's longer strides. He glanced around at the dull shops lining Main Street, which they were following up to a large plaza, finally noting how dim everything was. "Hey!" Ryos turned to glare at Gajeel. "You woke me up at the crack of dawn!"

"Careful," Gajeel drawled, waving the squirt bottle over Ryos's head. "You're edging towards disrespect there, minion. And yes, we're up at dawn. I'm impressed by your observational skills."

Ryos rolled his eyes and was awarded with another squirt. He yelped and jumped, trying to grab the bottle. Gajeel laughed and held it over his head. "Why did you-" Ryos jumped again, fingers just missing the bottom of the squirt bottle - "wake me up" - Ryos grabbed Gajeel's arm, not unlike a monkey on a tree limb - "so early?" Gajeel snickered and moved the squirt bottle to his other hand, squirting Ryos again for good measure. Ryos dropped down to the ground with a huff, too irritated to register the rock that stabbed at his foot.

The duo reached the town plaza, a large fountain bubbling in the center. Other than the occasional straggler, the place was deserted, giving the normally lively place an eerie atmosphere. Ryos edged slightly closer to Gajeel as they neared the fountain. Gajeel twisted the top of the bottle off and dunked it into the fountain. "We're up this early because you're going to need all the help you can get. You'll never get up to _my_ level but, I ought to be able to make you halfway decent."

Ryos bit back an irritated sigh. Gajeel's training would probably help in the long run anyways, even if the methods were odd and timing ridiculous. "Fine. What's first?"

Gajeel eyed him and pursued his lips as he screwed the squirt bottle's top back on. He abruptly snickered and squirted Ryos's feet. "Well, since you're dressed for the occasion, let's start with laps around the village. We'll run until you collapse." Gajeel paused and cocked his head to the side thoughtfully. "Or until you throw up. Whichever happens first."

Ryos's heart sunk as Gajeel started off at a trot down the street. Ryos ran after him, Gajeel's longer legs letting him run along at an easy pace but forcing Ryos to sprint next to him. Ryos spared some of his concentration to glare at Gajeel. "You just love torturing me, don't you?"

Red eyes danced with glee. "Never doubt it minion. Time to pick up the pace."

Ryos groaned.

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><p>Ryos hissed when a small bead of sweat slipped into his eye. The salty liquid stung like hell and Ryos frantically rubbed his eye, only succeeding in making it worse and blurring his vision. And thanks to Ryos's luck, it happened right as he and Gajeel were running by a tree with twisting roots that curled through a bubbling brook.<p>

Ryos's foot caught on a particularly winding root and he yelped as the rough barked dug into the top of his bare foot. Ryos's arms flailed as he fell face first into a small pool of water and rose, choking and sputtering, to see Gajeel's blurry form jogging back to him. Ryos blinked the cold water out of his eyes and Gajeel's thoughtful look slowly came into focus.

"Hmph. Not bad stamina, minion," Gajeel commented idly, eyeing Ryos.

Ryos huffed, trying to catch his breath and force down his breakfast. Skiadrum's lectures about always waiting to exercise a little after eating rang in his ears but, Ryos shook his head and tried to focus on the run instead. Gajeel had been pushing him all morning and the hours had blurred as the stitch in his side grew and his breath had burned in his throat. Judging from the light that seeped through the canopy overhead, it was still early morning, which meant that despite the seeming eternity of running he had just endured, Ryos was going to be training a lot longer than he wished. Ryos bit back a groan as he sat up - he's had more than enough of that blasted squirt bottle and he was already feeling shaky. Ryos quietly swung his abused feet into the creek, letting the cool water sooth the small tears and angry bruises, and sighed in relief.

Gajeel plopped down across from him, dunking the squirt bottle into the brook, still eyeing Ryos. Just as his stare started to make Ryos fidget, he nodded in approval and said, "You're not turning out to be the disappointment I expected. So, good job. I guess."

Ryos blinked at the incredibly roundabout and awkward praise, subconsciously scootching away from the large man and his odd behavior. "Uh…"

Gajeel propped his head in his hand and frowned. "The pet store guy said praise works wonders. I don't get it either."

Ryos scowled at the pet comparison and got squirted for his troubles.

Gajeel snickered. "Glad to see you don't like it either. That's good; it means I don't have to come up with that pansy ass bullshit. So minion, let's list your benefits." Gajeel sat up and tossed Ryos a small paper package.

Ryos scrambled to catch the unexpected gift, surprised to see it was a small chunk of bread and cheese. He blinked up at Gajeel.

Gajeel grunted. "Eat up, no use if you pass out from hunger. Don't forget to drink some water too," he said with a gesture to the stream. Gajeel then proceeded to ignore Ryos and started listing Ryos's attributes, ticking them off with one hand. "I don't need to worry about your awareness, your little stunt this morning proved you're adequate enough to deal with the goons. Your aim could use a bit of help though, so you'll be working on that. You managed to run for a little over an hour so your endurance is okay and it ought to get better with age."

Ryos perked up a bit at the idea that Gajeel would keep him around for years. It was a bit sad since the man always protested that he didn't care but, Ryos was sure that Gajeel would eventually warm up to him. The man was just a bit jagged around the edges. Well, maybe very jagged but, that wasn't the point. He scooped up a small handful of water and tried not to slurp too loudly. "What else?" he asked, in between sips.

Gajeel cocked his head to the side. "Well, I have to test your reflexes and strength still. I'll also have to whip your fighting skills into shape and I'll have to see some attacks of yours. I can't have you around if you're just going to get under my feet and trip me up all the time. There's a couple other things but those are the priority."

Ryos nodded and nibbled on the last bit of cheese, staring morosely at the few crumbs of bread that remained in the napkin. He was glad Gajeel thought to bring him anything but surely it wouldn't have killed the man to bring a bit more. "So, what are we working on first?"

Gajeel didn't answer but Ryos could feel the man's smirk of glee. Ryos's head shot up to see a pebble flying at his head. Ryos tried to dodge but only managed to avoid it partially, the stone missing his eye and clipping his cheek instead.

Ryos hissed and glared at Gajeel, only to yelp when a knife went flying over his head. Ryos stared at Gajeel incredulously, who was currently weighing a couple of pebbles in one hand and a knife in the other. "What are you _doing_?" Ryos demanded, scrambling up and over his perch.

Gajeel glanced up at Ryos and chucked another pebble at him, which Ryos easily dodged. The man's sadistic grin didn't waver, despite Ryos's - admittedly nonthreatening - glare. "Reflex training."

The knife came flying and Ryos ducked, wincing at the solid _thunk_ the metal made when it dug into the tree trunk behind him. Ryos peeked over the tree root, warily eyeing Gajeel's new knife that had appeared out of thin air. "With _those_?"

Gajeel shrugged. "Eh, I won't be chucking tons of knives at you, I don't feel like tracking them down when I'm done. They'll just be some among many objects flying." Gajeel looked back and sneered at Ryos's wary look. "Don't get hit and it won't be a problem."

Luckily, Skiadrum had already drilled dodging into Ryos. _You can't get hurt if they can't hit you_. But when a warning knife grazed his cheek, Ryos wasn't too comfortable sticking around to test Skiadrum's teaching abilities. Instead, with a wince and a jump, Ryos sprinted back into the forest, dodging the odd projectile along the way.

The only comforting thing about Gajeel's laugh was that it let Ryos know which direction the weapons were coming from.

* * *

><p>Ryos was hiding in a small clearing, flawlessly blending into the scenery, despite the few shadows cast by the high noon sun. There was a slight gap in the thicket of trees, creating a small, near nonexistent clearing. The wind breezed through the trees lazily, lending the clearing a soothing, peaceful atmosphere. Ryos could barely make out Gajeel's laugh in the distance.<p>

Ryos allowed himself to relax slightly, confident in his ability to hide from Gajeel. His favorite game was Hide 'n Seek and he had eventually become good enough to beat Skiadrum half the time, something Ryos still held onto with a bubble of pride and contentment, despite the slight bitterness that flavored it now.

An angry bruise on his elbow throbbed and forced Ryos away from his idle thoughts so he took the small breather as a chance to take stock of his injuries. He had several bruises from where Gajeel had nailed him with rocks or nails, cut up feet from running barefoot all day, and sore muscles from all the exercises Gajeel was putting him through. Ryos had to hand it to Gajeel though. The man never hit him with a single knife or potentially life damaging projectile. Instead, he used the deadlier ones to force Ryos into the path of other flying objects, either making Ryos discover unknown flexibility in dodging them or coloring Ryos's pale skin with welts and bruises. Even when Gajeel managed to get close enough to hit Ryos, the larger man was still careful enough to avoid hitting Ryos any harder than to wind him or bruise him. And even that rarely happened; Gajeel was far more likely to just squirt him with water than resort to physical abuse.

_For someone who supposedly doesn't care, he sure doesn't like outright beatings._

Ryos was lost in thought when his collar suddenly tightened and he was abruptly yanked out of his hiding spot. Ryos yelped and flailed, struggling a bit until he met narrowed red eyes. Ryos froze in shock and Gajeel carried him over to the clearing and dropped Ryos down on the soft moss.

"Almost minion. But next time, don't get distracted when you're on a battlefield."

Ryos flinched at the criticism. _Stupid!_ To get so distracted that he forgot to hide...that was a mistake he hadn't made in years.

Gajeel cracked his neck and waved at one of the trees, reminding Ryos to pay attention. "Let's see your strength now."

Gajeel turned and leaned up against a tree. He stared at Ryos expectantly.

Ryos looked around in confusion. "Um, sir?"

Gajeel raised a studded eyebrow. "You want a demonstration?" He grinned in glee and turned his right arm into an iron pole, much to Ryos's alarm. "Like this," he said with a feral grin, snapping his arm out enthusiastically.

_Crack!_

With eyes wider than saucers, Ryos stared at Gajeel. The older man's grin grew - _a grin far too evil for anyone's safety_ - and nodded. He backed up so that Ryos could get a completely unobstructed view of the tree he had just hit.

Which was now supporting a dent _the size of Ryos's head_.

Ryos gulped. _Thank god I'm on his side_.

Gajeel laughed and waved at the tree. "Well minion, let's see what you can do."

Ryos gaped at Gajeel, not sure if he was joking or not. Gajeel just stared at him expectantly and when Ryos didn't move for a minute, he narrowed his eyes and brought out his squirt bottle. "I said," Gajeel drawled, lips curling into an ugly scowl, "punch the damn tree." Gajeel glared when Ryos stayed frozen. "Now!"

Ryos swallowed down a yelp and ran towards the tree. He winded back his arm and thrust forwards with all his might.

"Oww!"

Ryos bit his lip and frantically rubbed at his reddening fist. He had even scraped his knuckles bloody. Ryos heard a low growl above him and he froze, hesitantly peeking through his bangs.

Gajeel was _livid_.

"What the _fuck_ was that?"

Ryos gulped again and shrugged meekly. "I'm just a kid."

"And?"

"I can't hit things very hard!" Gajeel's face darkened and Ryos frantically flapped his arms. "I don't have the muscles for it."

Gajeel sneered at Ryos and the tree. "Obviously."

Ryos shrugged helplessly.

The older man leaned back against another tree, eyeing the rest of the small clearing. The glen was dead silent now, any creatures seeming to be frozen by Gajeel's predatorial presence. Gajeel didn't say anything else, seemingly content with just glaring off into silent space.

Ryos fidgeted awkwardly. What the heck was he supposed to do now?

Gajeel's eyes snapped back to him and hardened. "Well?"

Ryos automatically opened his mouth to reply but was left gaping like an idiot without a clue as to what to say. Gajeel's eyes became near demonic and Ryos snapped his mouth shut with a shudder.

Gajeel towered over Ryos. "What are you going to do about it?"

Ryos threw his hands up, half waving them in panic.

Gajeel growled and his hand suddenly shot out, grabbing Ryos's collar with an iron grip. Ryos yelped as Gajeel lifted him up so that they were eye to eye with each other. "Look _minion_, the only reason why you're around me is because I think you _might_ be useful. So, unless you plan on making yourself more than dead weight, I will abandon your sorry hide in a minute."

Ryos floundered, struggling to get a good grip on Gajeel's forearm. "All because I can't hit as well as you? I'm a kid! I can't hit things that hard, I don't have the size for it. Besides, I'm fast and tricky. Why should I worry about my physical strength?"

Gajeel snorted and threw Ryos back to the ground. "Who cares if you're fast? Tricks will only get you so far. If you can't put any strength behind your hits, you'll just wear yourself out. You don't need to be a heavy hitter but you still need to do _some_ damage."

Ryos gaped up at Gajeel. Gajeel's glare didn't waver so Ryos nodded, rolling over so that he made a plank. He took a deep breath and went down. "One." He pushed back up and glared at the ground. Back down. "Two." And up. He hated pushups, they were such a drag. "Three."

He could still feel Gajeel glaring daggers at his back and tried to go faster. "Four, five, six…"

Gajeel didn't say a word. But, he didn't leave, so Ryos figured Gajeel would stick around.

* * *

><p>Ryos dragged his feet after Gajeel, thankful the day of training was coming to an end. He thought Gajeel would have made him fight or spar or something but, Gajeel had just hauled Ryos onto his feet after the who-knows-what number of pushups (he had lost track after forty-three) and just grunted for Ryos to follow him. Ryos had the slightest feeling that he had disappointed Gajeel - something that stung a bit more than it should have - but Ryos's aching limbs drowned out any other concerns. Ryos would deal with those thoughts later.<p>

When Ryos finally managed to muster up enough strength to actually concentrate on his surroundings, he was surprised to find himself in an unknown part of town. Well, maybe that wasn't quite true, seeing how a bright orange shop niggled at the back of Ryos's mind. But, whatever it was escaped him and Gajeel wasn't offering any explanations.

Gajeel slipped into a small alley, a variety of homely looking shops offering the odd ware or two but nothing either Dragonslayer would ever be interested in. Gajeel looked incredibly out of place, the warm sunlight glinting off his piercings and his black coat clashing with the homely wooden shop fronts. Ryos frowned as the alley started looking more familiar but still came up blank.

Gajeel paused long enough to make sure Ryos was still following him and then, ignoring the stares from passerbys and storekeepers, Gajeel walked over to a nondescript store front squished in between the bookstore and deli. Ryos trudged after Gajeel, shirking a little from the looks (and occasional glare). Ryos gave the faded sign outside a quick glance before walking in, instantly overwhelmed by the smell of polish and old leather. The interior of the shop was crowded with cardboard boxes with boots poking out, odd wooden tools carelessly tossed aside, and scattered pots of polish with dirty rags draping over them. The mountains of supplies towered over the two Dragonslayers, cramping them into a small, winding path that cut through the mess.

Ryos wrinkled his nose and suppressed the urge to sneeze. "Huh?"

"You remember the boot store, don't you?" Gajeel eyed Ryos with sharp red eyes before turning and hollering, "Oi, old man! You got the order, right? Old man?"

"Quit yer yammering boy," an old, croaky voice yelled out from behind the mountains of cardboard boxes. A couple a wheezing coughs indicated that the speaker was nearing and the niggle in Ryos's head grew. A short old man with skin like the old leather hobbled around the corner and glared at Gajeel through the bags covering his eyes. "I don't care if yer the biggest, baddest idiot around town or not. Yer gonna respect me in my own shop, dammit!"

Gajeel snorted. "Why? I'm paying you for your services, ain't I?"

A sudden wave of deja-vu washed over Ryos and the familiar shop clicked in Ryos's mind. After Gajeel had decided to take Ryos on as his apprentice - or minion, whatever - they had come here, where Ryos had been treated to the same conversation, and the man made Ryos try on fifty different pairs of boots. Unfortunately, none of them had fit well so the two Dragonslayers had left empty handed. So, why were they back?

The older man waved his cane at Gajeel threateningly as Ryos plopped down on a nearby stool. "Show respect to yer elders, boy! Piss me off and I'll show ya that this old bag of bones still has some tricks that could kick yer ass!"

Gajeel threw his head back and laughed, the familiar _Gihi_ bouncing off the crowded walls. "I'd love to see you try." Gajeel reached over and plucked Ryos off his perch and dropped him down in front of the old man, whose leathery smell overwhelmed the small boy.

Ryos sneezed.

Gajeel pushed Ryos forward. "You said you got that order, didn't you?"

The old man rolled his eyes and hobbled over to a nearby pile of shoes. He deftly picked up a new, shiny black pair of small boots and plopped them down in front of Ryos. "Never in all my years did I ever have a customer more picking or irritating than Gajeel." The old man huffed and jabbed Ryos in the chest with his cane. "Boy, yeh need new feet."

Ryos opened his mouth, not quite sure how to reply to the crotchety old man. He vaguely remembered the old man grumbling under his breath last time, something about irregular size feet and how he didn't make shoes for kids. Gajeel had ignored the man and finally forced him to measure Ryos's feet before the two had left. Ryos blinked at the shoes sitting in front of him before turning back to look at Gajeel in shock. Gajeel had requested a pair of boots just for him?

A sharp slap on the back of his head drew Ryos's attention back to the old man. "Well?" the old man growled, pushing Ryos down into a stool with surprising force. "Put them on."

Ryos hastily slipped the boots on, the soft leather molding around his feet wonderfully. The boots were heavier than he thought and he dropped his foot with a heavy _thump_, though his feet barely felt it due to the thick cushioning on the bottom. Ryos eagerly slipped the other boot on, admiring the dark leather. A small glimmer on his toe caught his eye and Ryos rested his foot on his knee to get a better look. Ryos poked to shoe, surprised by the hard ridge.

"The toe and heel are lined with steel plates," said the old man, answering Ryos's unasked question. "Helps with the durability."

Gajeel chuckled darkly. "Makes kicking and stomping opponents a lot more easy too. Pretty damn useful."

Ryos stared down at his feet, wriggling in toes in pleasure. "Thank you sir. You truly are a master of your craft."

The old man huffed. "Finally. A brat that treats his elders with respect." The old man glared at Gajeel, waving his cane in Gajeel's direction. "Yeh could learn a thing or two from yer apprentice."

"Oi," Gajeel protested, a frown wrinkling his brow. "He's my minion, not my apprentice."

The old man shrugged. "Same thing, ain't it? Now, where's my money?"

Gajeel glared at the old man, handing over a roll of jewels and walking out of the store with an air of indifference.

Ryos froze in shock for a moment before saying another hasty "Thank you" to the old boot maker and running after Gajeel. When he caught up, he took a deep breath and tugged on Gajeel's coat hem.

Gajeel stopped and turned, annoyance stamped across his face. "What?"

"You didn't have to do this for me."

Gajeel snorted and started to turn away, only to be stopped by Ryos tugging on his coat hem. "Yes I did. You're weak enough as it is, the boots will only help. Besides, I can't have my minion going around barefooted, now could I?"

Ryos's lips puckered into a frown. "How much were they? I'll pay you back."

Gajeel rolled his eyes and turned on his heel, ignoring Ryos's protest. Ryos ran after Gajeel and opened his mouth to protest, only for Gajeel to slap his hand down on top of Ryos's head. "Look brat, you're an investment. A strong minion will help increase the number of missions I go on as well as the ranking of the missions. The boots are just a part of the investment. If you're really that worried about paying me back, be a good minion and help me on my jobs. That is why I'm keeping you around after all." Gajeel pushed Ryos's head down and started walking slightly faster.

Ryos looked up at the older man's back and tried hard not to let the bubble of affection welling up in his chest from showing. Gajeel wouldn't appreciate it so Ryos kept his happiness hidden. But, even with his sore muscles and aching limbs, no matter Gajeel's protests, Gajeel kept seeming more and more like an older brother.

And how could Ryos not smile at that?

* * *

><p>AN: The title <em>The Lonely Boy<em> is irritating me. It'll be changed at some point but I'd rather it be sooner than later and I'm coming up blank. Anyone have any ideas?


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